Today In History, May 10: Nelson Mandela

1994: Nelson Mandela

On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela took the oath of office in Pretoria to become South Africa's first black president.

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1865: Jefferson Davis

In 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union forces in Irwinville, Georgia.

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1869: Transcontinental Railroad

In 1869, a golden spike was driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.

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1924: J. Edgar Hoover

In 1924, J. Edgar Hoover was named acting director of the Bureau of Investigation (later known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI).

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1933: Nazi Germany

In 1933, the Nazis staged massive public book burnings in Germany.

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1940: World War II

In 1940, during World War II, German forces began invading the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and France. The same day, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigned, and Winston Churchill formed a new government.

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1963: Rolling Stones

In 1963, the Rolling Stones recorded their first single for Decca Records in London, covering Chuck Berry's "Come On" (which ended up being redone) and "I Want to Be Loved" by Willie Dixon.

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1968: "Night of the Barricades"

In 1968, the "Night of the Barricades" began in Paris' Latin Quarter as tens of thousands of student protesters erected obstacles against riot police; in the pre-dawn hours of May 11, the police moved in, resulting in violent clashes that left hundreds of people injured.

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1968: Vietnam Paris Peace Talks

In 1968, preliminary peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam began in the French capital.

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1994: John Wayne Gacy

In 1994, the state of Illinois executed serial killer John Wayne Gacy, 52, for the murders of 33 young men and boys.

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2009: Pope Benedict XVI

Ten years ago: Pope Benedict XVI urged Middle East Christians to persevere in their faith as 20,000 people filled a Jordanian sports stadium where the pontiff celebrated the first open-air Mass of his Holy Land pilgrimage.

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2009: World Hockey Championships

Ten years ago: Russia defended its gold medal at the World Hockey Championships in Bern, Switzerland, beating Canada 2-1 in a rematch of the previous year's final.

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2013: Global Warming

In 2013, U.S government scientists said worldwide levels of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, had hit a milestone, reaching an amount never before encountered by humans.

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2013: Internal Revenue Service

In 2013, the Internal Revenue Service apologized for what it acknowledged was "inappropriate" targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status.

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2014: Arkansas Marriage Licenses

Five years ago: Arkansas began issuing same-sex marriage licenses a day after a judge lifted a ban on such unions.

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2014: Michael Sam

Five years ago: Michael Sam was picked by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL draft, becoming the first openly gay player drafted by a pro football team.

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2014: Michelle Obama

Five years ago: First lady Michelle Obama, delivering the weekly presidential radio and internet address in her husband's place, decried the kidnapping of scores of Nigerian schoolgirls by the group Boko Haram.

AP

2018: Trump Kim Summit

One year ago: President Donald Trump announced that he would meet in Singapore with North Korea's Kim Jong Un on June 12; the announcement came hours after Trump hosted a welcome-home for three Americans who had been held by Kim's government.

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